organizational ethics case study

q5 ,6, 7

Children as young as seven mining cobalt used in smartphones, says Amnesty Case study Amnesty international says it has traced cobalt used in batteries for household brands to mines in DRC, where children work in life-threatening conditions. Children as young as seven are working in perilous conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to mine cobalt (magnetic metal) that ends up in smartphones, cars and computers sold to millions across the world, by household brands including Apple, Microsoft and Vodafone, according to a new investigation by Amnesty International (a non-profit organization focusing on human rights). The human rights group claims to have traced cobalt used in lithium batteries sold to 16 multinational brands to mines where young children and adults are being paid a dollar a day, working in life-threatening conditions and subjected to violence, extortion and intimidation. More than half the world's supply of cobalt comes from the DRC, with 20% of cobalt exported coming from artisanal mines in the southern part of the country. In 2012, Unicef estimated that there were 40,000 children working in all the mines across the south, many involved in mining cobalt. Amnesty International says it interviewed 90 adults and children working in five artisanal cobalt mine sites. Workers spoke of laboring for 12 hours a day with no protective clothing, and with many experiencing significant health problems as a result. The report says that child miners as young as seven carried back-breaking loads and worked in intense heat for between one or two dollars a day without face masks or gloves. Several children said they had been beaten by security guards employed by mining companies ano forced to pay "fines" by unauthorized mines police sent by state officials to extort money an intimidate workers. Source: The Guardian-Tue 19 Jan 201 What is the role of the Ethical Officer? (7 marks) What maybe his/her role in large international companies such as Apple? How Apple's Ethical Officer can affect miners abroad? (7 marks) Q6: How can a multinational organization such as Microsoft promote the Organization's Commitment to Ethical Behavior? (14 marks) Q7: How can a company such as Vodafone become a transparent organization? (14 marks)